Janis Lacis

He was born on April 1, 1938, in Ventspils, Latvia, to parents Krists Lacis and Milda Brants.

Preceded in Death by: His parents, Krists Lacis and Milda Brants; and his brother, Arvid Lacis.

Survived by: His beloved spouse, Marilyn Lacis; children, Brent Lacis (Christina) and Janessa Lacis (Eirik); grandchildren, Jordan, Nora, Lucas, and Nathan; sister-in-law, Donalda; sister-in-law, April; nephew, Robert Lacis (Suzy); niece, Susan O'Neil (Nigel); and grand-nieces/nephew.

Life & Legacy

Janis worked as a skilled machinist at Reliable Equipment Rentals, a foremost supplier of aerial lift equipment, where he repaired different types of lifts before retiring. He was renowned for solving even the most difficult assignments, took great pleasure in his work, was well liked by his peers, and was an expert handyman, as many can attest.

Janis had a deep and lifelong passion for volleyball and was an early pioneer of the sport in British Columbia. He played on the UBC men's volleyball team and was a dedicated member of the Vancouver Calonas women's volleyball club — later known as the Chimos — which won many national titles. He also designed and built indoor and outdoor volleyball equipment that set the template for future models. His decades of dedication to the sport culminated in one of his proudest achievements: being inducted into the Volleyball BC Hall of Fame with the 1971 Vancouver Calonas in 2019.

Janis was also a hockey and soccer enthusiast. He proudly attended a hockey game featuring Latvia at the Vancouver Olympics and loved to tell the story of watching Pelé play in an exhibition game at Empire Stadium.

He kept up with global current events and enjoyed sharing his views on religion. The Okanagan was his favorite summer destination. Janis was well known for his barbecue skills — especially his famous Korean ribs, which many family members and friends fondly remember.

Janis was kind, patient, soft-spoken, and logical — a no-fuss kind of guy who was always there to lend a hand to family and friends. Above all, he dearly loved his family.

In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make a donation in Janis's memory to the Burnaby Hospital Foundation at bhfoundation.ca

He will forever be cherished in our hearts.